hoakley August 7, 2024 Macs, Technology, Updates

Apple has released Sonoma 14.6.1 and 13.6.9 patch updates

Apple has just released patch updates to bring macOS Sonoma to version 14.6.1, and Ventura to 13.6.9. There’s no update for Monterey, though.

There are no entries for these updates in Apple’s security release notes, which simply report “no CVE entries” for both. However, the matching updates for iOS apparently refer to important bug fixes, including one that prevented changing Advanced Data Protection settings. Whether that’s the same for Sonoma and Ventura is anyone’s guess.

There are no updates to firmware on T2 Intel models, or on Apple silicon, and Safari’s version and build numbers haven’t changed either.

The 14.6.1 update is just over 650 MB to download on Intel systems, and around 1.4 GB on Apple silicon.

Looking through the contents of the /System folder shows small build increments in the Security framework and some keychain-related files such as Keychain Circle Notification app. There are no other changes in /System or the bundled apps at all.

Last updated 1845 GMT 7 August 2024.

20Comments

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1

Bryan Wellander on August 7, 2024 at 6:18 pm

This seems like it is a bug fix update not a security one.

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- 2
  
  hoakley on August 7, 2024 at 9:02 pm
  
  Thank you. I suspect fixing bugs in previous security updates, so a bit of both!
  Howard.
  
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3

geriatricguy on August 7, 2024 at 6:24 pm

On the iPhone it says “This update includes important bug fixes and addresses an issue that prevents enabling or disabling Advanced Data Protection.” I suspect that it would include Sonoma.

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- 4
  
  hoakley on August 7, 2024 at 6:29 pm
  
  Thank you. Nice of Apple not to tell us.
  Howard
  
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- 5
  
  hoakley on August 7, 2024 at 9:03 pm
  
  Thank you – duly written in, although it’s anyone’s guess.
  Howard.
  
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- 6
  
  lestertwice on August 8, 2024 at 3:22 pm
  
  This is made explicit for Ventura 13.6.9
  
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7

Brian on August 7, 2024 at 7:06 pm

Thanks Howard. On Monterey, Safari received another version of 17.6, going from .6 to .7 (17618.3.11.11.7, 17618)

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- 8
  
  bernd on August 7, 2024 at 8:09 pm
  
  Version: 17,6 appeared yesterday or the day before.
  
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- 9
  
  hoakley on August 7, 2024 at 9:04 pm
  
  Thank you. I’m afraid that I can’t track Safari version numbers on previous macOS.
  Howard.
  
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10

jmaher5b5c6912e5 on August 7, 2024 at 7:39 pm

Howard, Referring to SilentKnight. I often prefer to do a manual update instal of installing all update. I may not want to include updating system software. Is there a way to just reun the security updates and not the system update. Yes, I understand I can copy and past the desired updates manually, but it would be nice if there was tick/check box option. Thoughts?

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- 11
  
  hoakley on August 7, 2024 at 9:10 pm
  
  Thank you. We have this discussion every few months. The problem is that SilentKnight can’t reliably distinguish between updates you might want and those you’d want to avoid. The best way to do this is for you to choose, which is how it works. I use this myself not infrequently, and find it as quick as any other, and completely reliable.
  If you’d like to look back over the years since I first released SilentKnight you’ll see all the discussions in comments.
  It’s also worth noting that you shouldn’t download and install macOS updates using SilentKnight. Although they can work, it’s what Software Update is designed to do. So in ordinary use, you’d see the updates listed, open Software Update and install the macOS update there, then after that has completed, run SilentKnight to catch anything that didn’t get updated with the main update.
  When you don’t want the macOS update, it’s a simply matter of identifying which you do want, copying and pasting them into the single download window, one at a time. As there are seldom more than two, that is quick, simple, and completely under your control.
  Howard.
  
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  - 12
    
    jmaher5b5c6912e5 on August 7, 2024 at 9:42 pm
    
    Howard, Thanks so much for the kind reply. Yes, what you say makes perfect sense. We will carry on.
    
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13

cade on August 8, 2024 at 5:37 pm

updated to 14.6.1 on intel iMac.

Can no longer airplay/send from iMac to Roku tv. fwiw.

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- 14
  
  hoakley on August 8, 2024 at 6:13 pm
  
  I’m sorry to hear that. Have you restarted? Other tips are in this article.
  Howard.
  
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15

Phil on August 12, 2024 at 3:08 am

Apple have noted the same fix for macOS Sequoia, but haven’t yet updated the localised pages for those of us in regions other than the USA.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/109035

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- 16
  
  hoakley on August 12, 2024 at 7:55 am
  
  Thank you. I must admit that I didn’t notice it in the release notes for Sequoia.
  Howard.
  
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  - 17
    
    Phil on August 17, 2024 at 11:05 pm
    
    I apologise, I meant macOS Sonoma, not macOS Sequoia!
    
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    - 18
      
      hoakley on August 18, 2024 at 8:40 am
      
      No problems, thank you.
      Howard.
      
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19

Shlomo on August 13, 2024 at 1:11 am

Mmm… why should such a small update weigh 1.4GB? That’s one thing I’ve always wondered about macOS updates, why are they so heavy?

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- 20
  
  hoakley on August 13, 2024 at 5:25 am
  
  Since Catalina and Big Sur, macOS updates haven’t been simple installer packages, but contain everything they need to update the System volume, create the snapshot, seal it with hashes, and sign the master hash. They also contain firmware updaters, as they’re the only way to update firmware. There’s a whole article looking at changing update sizes coming tomorrow (Wednesday).
  Howard.
  
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